Chapter 304

THIRD PERSON’S POV The chamber had grown thick with tension after Derek’s words, but it was Olivia who leaned forward, her calm gaze sweeping the hall. “Balance is our survival,” she repeated, her tone silk over steel. “And it is not for any Alpha—no matter how experienced, no matter how ambitious—to decide that the laws should bend when it suits them. That is not strength. That is arrogance.” A few Alphas shifted, murmuring among themselves, the weight of her words pressing heavier than any decree. Draven’s lips curled into something closer to a snarl than a smile. “How noble,” he drawled, voice edged with venom. “But let us not pretend this is impartial, Olivia. Everyone here knows you are friends with Derek. Your defense of him is nothing more than loyalty to an old companion.” The insult landed like a stone dropped in water, sending ripples through the chamber. Heads turned, whispers sparked, eyes flickered between Olivia and Derek. But Olivia didn’t flinch. Her palm struck the tab